Thursday, October 09, 2008

ISI : Taliban in complete control of Swat

In the in-camera joint sitting of both the Houses of the parliament yesterday, Pakistan s political leadership was told by the countrys military and sleuths of intelligence agency ISI that the Taliban was in complete control of some districts in NWFP, like Swat and Shangla.

They apprised the politicians, including MPs, chief ministers and governors of all four provinces, chiefs of all the major political parties, about the methods of the Taliban in indoctrinating the young boys into taking to terrorism, and also about the torture methods used on abducted militarymen.

Gen Pasha said 1368 troops had died in the fight since 2001, and the military had killed 2825 Taliban and terrorists including 581 foreigners. Some of them were crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan to fight Pakistani troops in Bajaur, Gen Pasha said and added that the US and Afghan authorities had been informed.

Newly-appointed ISI Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha briefed the parliamentarians about the difficulties the Pakistan Army was facing in the operation against the terrorists. The military was capable of dealing with the threat, he added.